Woman pushes for harsh punishments for dog abusers

The thought of coming home from work still puts Lisa Painter on edge. A few weeks ago, someone broke into her home on Fort Benning and attacked her 7-month-old Bichon Frise named Josiah.

Painter told us that a can of Raid bug spray was used to poison Josiah. He died several hours after being rushed to a nearby animal hospital.

"It's someone who I knew or someone who knew the fact that I would not be home," Painter said.

The person who broke into Painter's apartment would face federal charges because the incident happened on the Army post and federal property. That isn't the case for a person who commits the same crime in Columbus or Phenix City.

"If someone abuses animals they will have to register in the animal abuse offense registry. If they abuse animals then they have to register just like a child or sex offender registry," said Painter.

Right now, the proposed nationwide law is still in the early stages, but Painter says she's not stopping until dog abusers are held accountable. Meanwhile, she waits everyday for word that police have captured the people who took away her little Josiah.

"It's not my place to say they are guilty or not. I'm not accusing them of anything, I'm just saying those are people who I knew possibly had a problem with me and maybe they know somebody who did," Painter said.

Though Josiah is gone, Painter says he won't ever be forgotten and a woman who heard her story is letting her foster a rescue dog named Teddy.

"She may have thought I was rescuing him and giving him a good home but I think in the long run he's rescuing me," Painter said.

Youngstown State University student Albert Maruna was caught red-handed and arrested this week after he allegedly attempted to have sex with a 15-year-old boy, who turned out to be an undercover officer.

Youngstown State University student Albert Maruna was caught red-handed and arrested this week after he allegedly attempted to have sex with a 15-year-old boy, who turned out to be an undercover officer.